George N. Aslanian
We’ve always been impressed with the great work produced by our Pace copywriter, George N. Aslanian. As an award-winning copywriter and Google Certified digital marketer, George has a knack for crafting conceptually driven campaigns that tell intriguing brand stories across multiple platforms. That’s a fancy way of saying “he writes good ads” (and emails, brochures, videos, websites, and all other forms of marketing material).
Now, we’re delighted to share another title of George’s: best-selling author! We are proud to report that George is the author of the Amazon best-selling short crime story collection, Sunshine & Misery. When the first installment of this series, titled “Big Money Ca$h,” was published this past August, it was the #1 new release in Amazon’s Kindle Store.
Big Money Ca$h
Here’s how Amazon describes the new book by George N. Aslanian:
“Big Money Ca$h” has it all. Ella needs money for school. Cash needs money for status. Bo just wants to see a good show. And everyone else just wants to get out alive. This is the first installment in the Sunshine & Misery Collection — a series of short one-shot crime stories set in South Florida. Each story gives an action-packed glimpse into a world of criminals and those they affect.
A Chat with George
We caught up with George for a short Q&A about this eBook and other stuff he’s working on…
George, we always knew you were a great advertising copywriter. Now we are surprised and pleased to know you are an author, too. Is this your first published collection of short stories – and can you give us a quick overview of the book?
This is my first published short story, but I’ve also written a few comic books and a graphic novel. The book centers around a group of friends hanging out after school when two armed robbers kick in the door and hold them up. Then the story cuts back and forth between how everyone got to that moment and how the robbery plays out.
What led to your interest in crime fiction, or what was your motivation for writing this collection?
I grew up watching movies like Goodfellas and Dog Day Afternoon with my dad. I was probably too young at the time, but I would watch all of the DeNiro crime films. Then the Pacino films. I kept going down the rabbit hole of actors and directors, which eventually led me to authors like Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy. This collection is a way for me to give my take on all of the crime stories that I’ve been consuming all these years.
Who are some of your literary inspirations, heroes, or role models?
Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy are the novelists that have most inspired me, but I’ve also been influenced by comic book writers like Ed Brubaker and Jason Aaron.
This is billed as the “first installment” in a series. What’s your plan for follow-up books in the series?
The next installment in the Sunshine & Misery series will be out in October and the third one will be out in November. Then in December, we’re going to collect them as one book. So far the installments have only been available as e-books, but the collection will be in print.
Any other projects you’re working on as an author that you can divulge for us?
After the collected edition comes out in December, the focus is going to be on a novel titled A Loving Wife. It’s a thriller that, like Sunshine & Misery, is set in South Florida.
Besides Big Money Cash, are there any other books you would recommend; something you’ve read recently (or even in the past) that really engaged you or connected with you in a meaningful way?
The most engaging book I read recently was a comic book miniseries called 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank. It’s written by Matthew Rosenberg, illustrated by Tyler Boss, and published by Black Mask Studios. I recommend it to any fan of crime fiction, whether they think they like comics or not.
Congratulations and a big shout out to George N. Aslanian for this exciting release. We’re looking forward to much more from his pen and keyboard in the days ahead!
